New RPM Turntable/CD/MIC/MIDI Interface from RME
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RPM Front Panel
(Click for a close-up) |
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RPM Rear Panel
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January 22, 2004RME have extended their Hammerfall DSP series with a new I/O box. The RPM is a portable turntable/CD/MIC/MIDI interface, ready to connect 2 turntables or 2 line-sources (CD, DVD, sampler etc.) and a microphone to any computer. With TotalMix, RME's audio mixer, the 5 inputs and up to 12 computer-playback channels can be freely assigned to 2 separate stereo outputs and a dedicated headphone out. External MIDI instruments and controllers can be integrated via a MIDI input and output. The RPM is expected to ship February 2004. Price: to be announced.
The microphone input features a Neutrik XLR/phones combo jack, and a discrete Class-A frontend with gain ranging from 10 to 60 dB. Two pairs of low-noise phono inputs (cinch/RCA) are equipped with RIAA frequency correction for moving magnet cartridges. They can easily be reconfigured for the connection of CD-, DVD-players or any electronic sound source with line level. To avoid clipping of the AD-converters and to improve the level alignment of connected devices, the input sensitivity can be changed within the settings dialog easily.
The RPM has three independent stereo outputs: AUX and MAIN, located on the back panel, use RCA connectors. MAIN features an additional pair of balanced stereo TRS jacks, supplying the same signal with a level increased by 6dB. The third output is a stereo jack on the front panel which also serves as a headphone out. AD/DA-converters with a S/N ratio of up to 110 dB and a low-jitter clock provide 24 Bit recording and playback at sampling rates from 32 to 96 kHz.
The RPM comes with a built-in hardware mixer based on RME's TotalMix technology. Its capability to route and mix any of the input and playback channels to any output provides the RPM with 3 independent stereo submix-outputs. With perfect monitoring and PFL functionality offered by TotalMix, in most cases you won't need an additional external mixing desk.
Except for the microphone gain and the headphone level, all settings are done via the connected computer. Once the levels, input selections and signal routings are set, RME's exclusive Disconnect mode allows the RPM to be disconnected from the computer. A power and user controlled hardware bypass switches the phono preamp's outputs directly to the line outputs.
RME's consistent use of Low Latency and Zero CPU technology - both not available via USB - offers latencies down to 1.5 ms on a PCI or CardBus card. Full ASIO 2.0, GSIF, MME (Wave) and CoreAudio support on Windows XP and Mac OS X provide smooth operation with any professional DJ-tools such as BPMStudio, Traktor, Live, or any other audio software. And of course the RPM can utilize all the functions of DIGICheck, RME's included software for audio analysis.
For more information, visit their web site at www.rme-audio.com. | 
